Managing a Creative Life in a Chaotic World

Letter to the Illustrator

My editor told me today that you have agreed to illustrate my picture book, SASSY SALLY’S SURPRISE. I know how respected you are in the field and feel very fortunate to have you working on my first book. I immediately had to write you to share my ideas for the pictures. Fortunately, I was able to get your address off the internet. Isn’t technology amazing? ( By the way, I saw the aerial view of your house. I like the birdbath by the front entrance. Is that you on the lounge by the pool?)

I have enclosed a copy of the manuscript with all my comments in parenthesis for each page, but I thought it would be helpful to clarify a few things for you. First you should know that Sally in the book is my daughter. She is five, and I have enclosed a photograph of her, but please note that she cut her hair recently, so please make it shorter in the illustrations. I had this marvelous idea. I thought you could include our pomeranian, Puff, (see enclosed photo) in each spread even though he is not mentioned in the text. He could be hidden under the bed or behind our sofa, just don’t put a collar on him. He wears a harness so his fur doesn’t get matted around his neck.

I am assuming you will be using bright colors throughout. Sally’s favorite color is pink, so maybe her gingham dress could be pink and white. All girls love pink! I read on a blog that using a lot of pink in a book practically guarantees high volume sales.

When will you be sending me the sketches? I am off to Tahiti for a month, but could look at them when I get back. Don’t worry, I won’t write on the dummy. I’ll just use post-its. Would you like me to send it on to the editor or back to you?

My husband was thinking it would be great if you could do portraits of you and me for the jacket flap. I asked my sister what she thought, and she said it would be very original. I will be emailing you a picture of me.

By the way I heard that you asked our editor if a line of text could be moved from page 5 to page 7. I must ask that you respect that I am the writer and know best how the words should be placed. I wrote the story exactly as I told it to Sally at bedtime. I’m sure you can appreciate how important it is to me to have it appear just as I intended.

Can’t wait to go on book tour together. I have already written Oprah asking to appear on her show. I’m sure the “Cease and Desist” letters were just a joke. She is so funny, don’t you think?